The Arden Theatre presents Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

The youthful naivete of the lovers is the beating heart of this interpretation. Juliet (Francesca Santodomingo), clad in pink frills and pigtails, is visibly not yet 14. Romeo (Gabe Moses) and his friends do not move like seasoned street fighters; they run on pure hormonal bravado. From the minute the two cross paths, the audience gets the distinct impression of children playing grown-up. The feelings they are experiencing are entirely true to them, but they are disastrously unequipped to handle the consequences of their actions.

This dynamic makes the balcony scene a particular revelation. Rather than reciting the iconic poetry with solemn reverence, the two actors are so absorbed in their sudden chemistry that they seem continually on the verge of giggles. The heightened language serves as impressive, clumsy flirtation. It is intoxicatingly sweet, which only makes the looming tragedy hurt more.

Brutal reality

The warmth of this first half ensures that the adult world's intrusion is devastating. As Lord Capulet, Jared Delaney makes the brilliant, chilling choice to never raise his voice. His assured, quiet brutality as he forces Juliet into a marriage she does not want is far more terrifying than any amount of theatrical screaming. He pushes her toward Paris (Brian Cowden), played here wonderfully as an oblivious oaf.

Watching from the sidelines is Mercutio (Tyler S. Elliott). Played as a "wise fool," this Mercutio acts as a crucial bridge between the comedy and the carnage. He seems to be the only person on stage who truly understands the inescapable hopelessness of the cycle of violence they are trapped in. As the bodies begin to stack up, the brutal reality of the world of Verona becomes inescapable.

Timeless and fresh

Visually, the production supports this timeless yet fresh take. Jill Keys’s costumes are a cohesive mix of the traditional and the modern, while the minimalist set by David P. Gordon is both effective and gorgeous, keeping the focus entirely on the performers. Ian Rose’s fight choreography is dynamic and thrilling. Robinson’s direction keeps the pace tight without sacrificing clarity or poetry.

While Robinson may have set out to create an “ugly” exploration of power, she found a much more moving angle: the ultimate, crushing power the adult world holds over kids who are only just learning how to navigate it.

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